Reviewing the world premiere, Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times praised Altar de Cuerda, saying that it begins "in a state of shimmering strings, but is cut through with startlingly sharp percussive attacks and exciting rhythmic action of a city coming to life." He continued, "The beautiful, bass-heavy central movement, 'Canto Abierto' (Open Song), conjures a mystical atmosphere of early Mexican churches. A bass drum booms, deep strings give mildewy cushion and timpani glide down as if to the center of the Earth. Wind instruments are the wind. The glistening solo violin does the singing. A final chord in the orchestra sounds electrically charged. 'Maya Déco,' a bravura Mayan decoration with a dazzling cadenza, became a showpiece for Dueñas."[3] Oussama Zahr of The New York Times similarly described the piece as a "blazing violin concerto" that "set a high bar," adding, "It begins with a scorching statement in the violin, with whacks of triangle and crotales (spooky sounding cymbals) that rise off the stage like puffs of smoke in a roiling brew. At a few points, the woodwind and brass musicians played tuned crystal cups that conjured ritualistic magic."[4]
Charlize Althea Garcia of The Poly Post was slightly more critical of the work, however, writing, "Although [Dueñas's] expertism was showcased, the spotlight might have been too overbearing, burying the piece with runs on end. The melodies were of ghost-like movements that jumped inconsistently throughout the piece; both silence and melody were spasmodic. The orchestra and the violinist felt as if they had not complemented each other but acted as equal counterparts that contributed to the same conversation; the orchestra did not seem to support the violinist but challenge her."[5]